Condensed Consolidated Statements of Equity / Capital (Unaudited) (USD $) In Thousands, except Share data, unless otherwise specified	Total USD ($)	Redeemable Noncontrolling Partnership Interests [Member] USD ($)	Preferred Stock [Member] USD ($)	Common Stock [Member] USD ($)	Additional Paid-in Capital [Member] USD ($)	Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income [Member] USD ($)	Dividends in Excess of Cumulative Earnings [Member] USD ($)	Total Shareholders' Equity [Member] USD ($)	Noncontrolling Interest [Member] USD ($)	CBL And Associates Limited Partnership [Member] USD ($)	CBL And Associates Limited Partnership [Member] Common Stock [Member] USD ($)	CBL And Associates Limited Partnership [Member] Preferred Units [Member] USD ($)	CBL And Associates Limited Partnership [Member] Common Units [Member]	CBL And Associates Limited Partnership [Member] Common Units [Member] Common Stock [Member]	CBL And Associates Limited Partnership [Member] General Partner [Member] USD ($)	CBL And Associates Limited Partnership [Member] General Partner [Member] Common Stock [Member] USD ($)	CBL And Associates Limited Partnership [Member] Limited Partners [Member] USD ($)	CBL And Associates Limited Partnership [Member] Limited Partners [Member] Common Stock [Member] USD ($)	CBL And Associates Limited Partnership [Member] Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Member] USD ($)	CBL And Associates Limited Partnership [Member] Total Shareholders' Equity [Member] USD ($)	CBL And Associates Limited Partnership [Member] Total Shareholders' Equity [Member] Common Stock [Member] USD ($)	CBL And Associates Limited Partnership [Member] Noncontrolling Interest [Member] USD ($)	CBL And Associates Limited Partnership [Member] Redeemable Partnership Interests [Member] USD ($)	CBL And Associates Limited Partnership [Member] Redeemable Common Units [Member] USD ($)	CBL And Associates Limited Partnership [Member] Redeemable Noncontrolling Partnership Interests [Member] USD ($)
Balance, redeemable noncontrolling partnership interests at Dec. 31, 2012		$ 40,248																					$ 6,413	$ 33,835	$ 40,248
Beginning balance at Dec. 31, 2012										1,521,660		565,212			9,904		877,363		5,685	1,458,164		63,496
Balance at Dec. 31, 2012	1,521,097		25	1,613	1,773,630	6,986	(453,561)	1,328,693	192,404
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net income	34,011						30,313	30,313	3,698	34,011		11,223			240		22,157			33,620		391
Other comprehensive income	1,030	10				864		864	166	1,030									1,030	1,030				10	10
Dividends declared - common stock	(37,713)						(37,713)	(37,713)		(44,932)					(463)		(44,469)			(44,932)				1,145	1,145
Dividends declared - preferred stock	(11,223)							(11,223)		(11,223)		(11,223)								(11,223)
Issuance of common units, units	2,096,655													2,099,000
Issuances of 238,693 shares of common stock and restricted common stock											43,869							43,869			43,869
Issuances of 2,096,655 shares of common stock and restricted common stock	43,869			21	43,848			43,869
Cancellation of restricted common stock, 20,631 shares (2014) and 20,644 shares (2013)	(402)				(402)			(402)		(402)							(402)			(402)
Cancellation of common units, units	(20,644)												(21,000)
Amortization of deferred compensation	1,464				1,464			1,464		1,464							1,464			1,464
Distributions to noncontrolling interests	(8,544)	(1,744)							(8,544)	(1,325)												(1,325)	(599)		(599)
Adjustment for noncontrolling interests	(157)	157			(10,909)			(10,909)	10,752
Allocation of partners' capital										(830)					(124)		(706)			(830)				157	157
Adjustment to record redeemable noncontrolling interests at redemption value	(4,156)	4,156			(3,523)			(3,523)	(633)	(4,156)					(44)		(4,112)			(4,156)			(376)	4,532	4,156
Redeemable Noncontrolling Partnership Interests
Net income		788																					604	184	788
Ending balance at Mar. 31, 2013										1,539,166		565,212			9,513		895,164		6,715	1,476,604		62,562
Balance, redeemable noncontrolling partnership interests at Mar. 31, 2013		43,615																					6,042	37,573	43,615
Balance at Mar. 31, 2013	1,539,276		25	1,634	1,804,108	7,850	(472,184)	1,341,433	197,843
Ending balance, units at Mar. 31, 2013												25,050,000	192,933,000
Balance, redeemable noncontrolling partnership interests at Dec. 31, 2013		34,639								28,756													5,883	28,756	34,639
Beginning balance at Dec. 31, 2013										1,560,355		565,212			9,866		961,175		4,923	1,541,176		19,179
Balance at Dec. 31, 2013	1,559,934		25	1,700	1,967,644	6,325	(570,781)	1,404,913	155,021
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net income	62,630						55,294	55,294	7,336	62,630		11,223			526		50,792			62,541		89
Other comprehensive income	1,406	(1)				1,429		1,429	(23)	1,408									1,408	1,408				(1)	(1)
Dividends declared - common stock	(41,716)						(41,716)	(41,716)		(49,446)					(493)		(48,953)			(49,446)				1,143	1,143
Dividends declared - preferred stock	(11,223)						(11,223)	(11,223)		(11,223)		(11,223)								(11,223)
Issuance of common units, units	238,693													240,000
Issuances of 238,693 shares of common stock and restricted common stock	543			3	540			543			543					5		538			543
Cancellation of restricted common stock, 20,631 shares (2014) and 20,644 shares (2013)	(347)				(347)			(347)		(347)							(347)			(347)
Cancellation of common units, units	(20,631)												(21,000)
Amortization of deferred compensation	1,467				1,467			1,467		1,467							1,467			1,467
Distributions to noncontrolling interests	(8,778)	(1,593)							(8,778)	(1,060)					0					0		(1,060)	(450)	0	(450)
Adjustment for noncontrolling interests	(756)	756			(1,350)			(1,350)	594
Allocation of partners' capital										(704)					(20)		(684)			(704)				756	756
Adjustment to record redeemable noncontrolling interests at redemption value	67	(66)			16			16	51	67					1		66			67			279	(345)	(66)
Redeemable Noncontrolling Partnership Interests
Net income		1,146																					742	404	1,146
Ending balance at Mar. 31, 2014										1,563,690		565,212			9,885		964,054		6,331	1,545,482		18,208
Balance, redeemable noncontrolling partnership interests at Mar. 31, 2014		34,881								28,427													6,454	28,427	34,881
Balance at Mar. 31, 2014	$ 1,563,227		$ 25	$ 1,703	$ 1,967,970	$ 7,754	$ (568,426)	$ 1,409,026	$ 154,201
Ending balance, units at Mar. 31, 2014												25,050,000	199,812,000